THE Tanaiste, Mr Spring, has told his severely depleted parliamentary party that it will regroup and win back six or eight Dail seats in the next general election.
At the first meeting of the parliamentary Labour Party since its devastating showing in the general election, Mr Spring said he aims to regroup and rebuild the party.
Labour now holds just 17 Dail seats, having lost 15 Deputies in last Friday's election.
Louth TD Mr Michael Bell retains the role of party chairman. Mr Joe Costello, who lost his seat in Dublin Central, has been replaced by Ms Roisin Shortall as vice chairwoman.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, takes over the job of chief whip from Mr Brian Fitzgerald, who lost his seat in Meath.
With morale in the party shattered by its performance at the polls, sources say a full inquest into why the party suffered so badly will take place at a PLP meeting next Thursday.
The review will include the "downside" of the leadership's decision to go into government with Fianna Fail in 1992 and the decision, two years later, to enter coalition with Fine Gael and Democratic Left.
There was no hint at yesterday's meeting that Mr Spring has any intention of stepping down as leader.
He told the gathering of surviving TDs and his Senators that the party will reflect on what has happened and reassess its identity before moving forward.
A number of those present said they must look forward rather than backward in the wake of the general election result.
Meanwhile, Mr Spring must decide who will take the Seanad seat allocated to the party by the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton.
Following the five vacancies created in the Upper House by the general election, Mr Bruton is expected to nominate five new senators today, though they will sit for less than two months as the Seanad will be dissolved on August 7th.
The vacancies arise following the election of five senators to the Dail.
In addition to the Labour seat, Mr Bruton is expected to provide one for Democratic Left and hold three for his own party.